Building 'holy grail' lithium metal batteries cheaply and safely

Lithium metal batteries, capable of doubling the capacity of today's standard lithium-ion cells, can be built utilizing much of the current battery manufacturing system according to University of Michigan researchers. This would double the range of battery electric vehicles (EVs).

A team of researchers led by Jeff Sakamoto, a U-M associate professor of mechanical engineering, have previously demonstrated that batteries made with lithium metal anodes can safely double the output of similarly-sized lithium ion cells, which use graphite anodes. To do that, the team utilized a solid-state electrolyte known as LLZO, which takes the place of the liquid electrolytes found in commercial batteries.

But lithium metal is reactive and weak, making it extremely difficult to handle and integrate into batteries, especially using state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment. U-M’s team has found a workaround that essentially allows the battery build itself. Their approach harnesses the lithium already contained within common cathode materials. When the battery is charged for the first time, the lithium ions on the cathode side if the cell are extracted and moved to the anode side of the cell—effectively synthesizing a lithium metal anode.

Read more:
https://news.engin.umich.edu/2020/11/...

https://sakamoto.engin.umich.edu/


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